There are so many types and varieties of beans to choose from, that picking the right types to grow in your garden can be confusing. In this episode we discuss the 3 main culinary categories that beans are broken into, and how each of these types are grown in your garden. We compare growth habits, crop lifespans, and productivity differences between beans, including sharing some of our favorite varieties.

Snap beans are the type of beans that you eat whole, so that means you eat the pod or shell and the seeds that it encases. Your standard “green beans” are all snap beans because you’re eating the pod along with the immature bean seeds.

Fresh shell beans are dry bean varieties that are harvested when the pod is still green and the inner beans are very tender.

Dry beans are shelling beans that are harvested after they’re fully mature and the pods are withered and dry (they’re usually dried further for extended storage).

All beans have two different growth habits, pole and bush. Pole beans are usually grown vertically on a trellis, and bush beans are shorter and don’t need to be trellised. There are many types of bush and pole beans and in fact, some types and varieties come in both growth forms.

From a productivity standpoint, if you're a smaller space urban or suburban gardener, snap beans will produce more yield per square foot than shelling beans.

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Hilary Dahl co-owner of Seattle Urban Farm Company and host of the Encyclopedia Botanica podcast. For ten years Hilary Dahl has been helping beginning and experienced growers create beautiful and productive gardens. She has the unique experience of working in on a wide range of projects, from small backyard garden plots to multi-acre vegetable farms. She also works in her own garden every day after work. Hilary created the Encyclopedia Botanica podcast as a way to share effective and efficient garden management techniques and as a way to spread her love of growing food and flowers.